The Opposite of Hate (Upper Crust #1)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5
"Rat"

"I understand, Miss Ricaforte, sayang nga lang at makukulangan ng manlalaro ang team," tumatangong sabi ni coach. "I heard you're aiming for Oxford. Well, good luck then. The school and the team have to let you go."

"Thank you, coach."

Nagpaalam na akong pormal na titigil sa school's soccer team. Ilang upcoming academic competition na minor lang ang tinanggihan ko na rin. Pinag-isipan kong mabuti ito. I am prioritizing my studies more than any extracurricular activities for my Oxford application. If I have studied hard in the past years, I need to double it. Isa pa, before that I have to prepare and pass the SAT. Nakapag-file na ako at naghihintay na lang ng ilang buwan para sa examination.

It saddens me to leave some things that have been a part of my system for a long time, but then we make sacrifices for the things we badly want. At mayroon din kailangan iwanan in order to move forward. Tough decisions.

Lumabas ako ng opisina ni coach. Babalik na ako sa class room. Magsisimula na rin kasi ang klase sa unang subject.

11th grade ended so soon. Now, I am in the final year of Senior High. I have no time for nonsense. I need to keep that in my mind.

I never had the chance, or more like I didn't really want to see Aris' gift to me on my birthday. Mas minabuti ko ring umiwas sa kanya. It was hard staying away dahil pareho naman kami ng environment na ginagalawan.... more like ignoring him as much as possible. Mukha namang nagtagumpay ako. He rarely visits the house now. We're both cold in school. We are minding our only lives, I guess.

I slowed down nang matanaw ang babaeng nakasilip sa hamba ng back door ng aming classroom. Agad na tumaas ang kilay ko. I know the girl. A lot know her, of course, the transferee. She just had to be stupid, and now she is famous... famous for being all over Hamlet Rurik Montalba.

I can't believe the guts of this girl. I both pity and dislike her. Who does she think she is? Of all the girls I know na may gusto kay Ham, she is the most... desperate... I am not sure how to describe her. Kung may gusto siya kay Ham, she should at least have a decent grade. For others, having a passing grade is decent, but for me, it's still a line closer to failure.

Sa sobrang likot niya, naatrasan niya pa ako. She stepped on my shoes and white socks. Umigting ang panga ko nang matanaw ang nadumihang medyas.

"Hala, sorry."

Malamig ko siyang tinitigan.

"Uhm, sorry, nadumihan 'yong medyas mo," natataranta niyang sabi habang hindi malaman ang gagawin. "Ano, palitan ko na lang medyas mo. M-may extra naman—"

"Sa pagkakaalam ko hindi rito ang classrooms ng 11th grade."

"Ha?"

Umirap ako at nilagpasan na s'ya. I groaned. Ang dumi ng medyas ko. I am sure itim na medyas lang ang naiwan sa locker ko. Damn it. Ayaw na ayaw kong nadudumihan ang medyas ko tuwing naka school uniform.

Tatanga-tanga. No wonder Ham's always annoyed with her.

I sat on my chair. Sinulyapan ko pa si Ham. He looks bored habang iniikot-ikot ang rubics cube niya. May competition siya sa ibang bansa sa susunod na buwan. Mula nang dumating siya sa school no one has ever beat his time pagdating sa pagbuo ng rubics, mapa-anong lebel man. Pabilis din nang pabilis ang time record niya kaya wala na talagang naka-habol or even come close.

"Lavina, siglahan mo naman ang boses mo," sabi ng leader ng aming team, huling practice para sa role play mamayang hapon.

"This is my voice," I said as a matter of fact.